McCullough happy to be back

Luke McCullough has enjoyed his return to the first-team squad, and says playing for the Development squad helped him get back up to speed.

The former Manchester United academy product made his first appearance of the season for Rovers against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on February 3.

"It was nice to be back with the lads and with it being a long away trip we stayed overnight so it felt like I was really part of the squad again, it was great to be back in," he said.

"The reserve games helped me massively, although they aren't full speed compared to the league games, they allow you to get used to the physical battles and getting your timing right.

"They are a big help because you can get minutes under your belt and test how well the injury has recovered, it gets you back ready for when the manager wants you back in the team.”

McCullough has had an injury-hit couple of seasons, and is relishing the prospect of a full pre-season under his belt for the 2018-19 season.

"If I can get a run of games together I know I can make a difference, that is when I'll feel like I'm really back from injury, I've got longer this season to try and put my stamp on things,” he added.

"I've lost the ability to build momentum in my performances over the past few years given the timing of my injuries so that's always in the back of my mind, the plan now is to stay fit for as long as possible.

"It's been a couple of years now since I've had a good clear pre-season and been fit from the word go, so now my aim is to finish this season strongly to give me some momentum for when we report back in the summer."